Top 5 food to try in Cebu, Philippines

Ah, Cebu! The destination best known for its whale sharks and turquoise-coloured waterfalls. But you know what else is unique to Cebu? Food! Now I haven't been to other parts of the Philippines yet (though planning to), but I have been to Cebu, and I can definitely tell you that the food there is just as unmissable as the main attractions! Here are the top 5 must-try delicacies of Cebu

1. Lechon liempo

Lechon liempo is a filipino-style roasted pork belly, or so that's what Google says. Personally, I do not eat pork and therefore have not tried this, but if this specialty is available in almost every parts of Cebu, and that most locals would recommend this to you if you ask them what local delicacy you should try while in Cebu.... certainly, that should say something about lechon liempo, right?

2. Filipino bread

On my bus ride from Cebu city towards Oslob, the one thing that gets to my mind is the amount of bakery shops available along the way. Like seriously, everywhere you go around Cebu- be it the city centre or the small towns, there will always be a bakery shop. Some bakeries even go as far as baking fresh new bread every single hour, or even opening their stores for 24 hours, 7 days a week! And it certainly makes me wonder- what is up with Filipinos and bread? And I realised, there is truly only one way to find out, and that is to eat my way around it. Turns out, Filipino bread are pretty tasty (and affordable too). Don't miss out on this special delicacy, though I'm sure you won't as there's at least one bakery shop every 10km around Cebu!

3. Halo Halo

Not exactly the kind of halo halo you would say (or hear) through the phone, but rather a delicious Filipino dessert containing sweet beans, jelly, fruits, and topped with shaved ice and eventually one giant scoop of ube ice cream. This dessert is uniquely Filipino, and makes a sweet ending to any meal you have in Cebu!

4. Banana Ketchup

Say what now? No don't worry, this definitely isn't a typing error. Instead of the usual tomato ketchup which most people in the world use to savour their food with, the Filipinos prefer to savour their food with banana ketchups instead (banana catsup). What does banana catsup taste like, you say? Well, there's only one way to find out. Or if you really can't wait until your next trip in Cebu is due to try, it honestly tastes like your usual tomato ketchup except a little sweeter. Again, a uniquely Filipino condiment which you can't find anywhere else in the world (well, you can try finding it in your local Asian food store, but I mean it originated from the Philippines, so a trip to the Philippines isn't complete without a taste of the banana catsup!).

5. JOLLIBEE!

Are you surprised of the last food recommendation? Don't be, it's only THE BIGGEST, most popular fast food chain of the entire Philippines. So forget about McDonalds and KFC, and head down to the nearest Jollibee in Manila instead! Jolly Bee may be hard to find in smaller towns such as Oslob, but definitely unmissable in Cebu city. What makes Jollibee different from the other fast food chains? I would say... their menu variety. Jollibee truly mixes the traditional fast food chain with local culture. Included in the menu is some good ol' Filipino-style spaghetti and rice meals with corned beef to accompany the staple fast-food fried chicken. Now your Filipino experience can be complete!

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